<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <title>ReactOS's history - ReactOS Website</title>
  <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />
  <meta http-equiv="Pragma" content="no-cache" />
  <meta name="Content-language" content="en" />
  <meta name="Publisher" content="ReactOS Web Team" />
  <meta name="Copyright" content="ReactOS Foundation" />
  <meta name="Generator" content="RosCMS" />
  <meta name="Keywords" content="ReactOS, ros, operating system, OS, OSS, compatible, react os, clone, free, open source, alternative, open source os, GNU GPL, GPL, LGPL, forum, download, information, wiki, support database, support, faq, compatibility database, compatibility" />
  <meta name="Description" content="ReactOS&reg; is a free, modern operating system based on the design of Windows&reg; XP/2003. Written completely from scratch, it aims to follow the Windows&reg; architecture designed by Microsoft&reg; from the hardware level right through to the application level." />
  <meta name="Page-topic" content="operating system, computer, software, downloads, open source, alternative" />
  <meta name="Audience" content="all" />
  <meta name="Page-type" content="Operating System/Information/News/Open Source" />
  <meta name="Robots" content="index,follow" />
  <link rel="SHORTCUT ICON" href="../allnew/favicon.ico" />
  <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS 2.0" href="newsfeed_rss.xml" />
  <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Atom 1.0" href="newsfeed_atom.xml" />
  <link href="../css/style.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" />
  <!--[if IE]><link href="../css/ie.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><![!endif] -->

  <link rel="stylesheet" href="../css/litebox.css" type="text/css" media="screen" />
  <script type="text/javascript" src="../js/litebox.js"></script>

  
</head>
<body onload="initLightbox()">
<div id="main">
<div id="header">
  <div id="headercontent">
    <a href="index.html" id="back" class="clearfix">
      <img id="logo" src="../img/logo.png" alt="ReactOS logo" />
      <img id="reactos" src="../img/ReactOS.png" alt="ReactOS" />
    </a>
    <div id="headerContext">
      <div id="lang">
        <span>English</span>
<ul>
<li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=bg">Bulgarian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=ca">Català</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=cz">Czech</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=da">Danish</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=de">Deutsch</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=el">Ελληνικά</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=en">English</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=es">Español</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=fr">Français</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=he">Hebrew</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=hu">Hungarian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=id">Indonesian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=it">Italiano</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=ja">日本語</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=ko">Korean</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=lt">Lithuanian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=nl">Dutch</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=no">Norsk</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=pl">Polski</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=pt">Português</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=ro">Romanian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=ru">Русский</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=sk">Slovak</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=sv">Swedish</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=tw">Chinese (traditional)</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=uk">Ukrainian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=vi">Vietnamese</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=zh">中文</a></li></ul>
      </div>
      <div id="advertise">
        <a href="newbies.html">New to ReactOS?</a>
        <a href="[#dev_start]">Get involved!</a>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
<div id="Navigation">
  <div id="NavigationContent">
  <ul>
    <li>
      <a href="about.html">Info</a>
      <ul>
        <li><a href="news.html">News</a></li>
        <li><a href="about.html">About&nbsp;ReactOS</a></li>
        <li><a href="about_whyreactos.html">Why&nbsp;ReactOS</a></li>
        <li><a href="download.html">Download</a></li>
        <li><a href="about_userfaq.html">FAQ</a></li>
        <li><a href="sitemap.html">Sitemap</a></li>
      </ul>
    </li>
    <li>
      <a href="community.html">Community</a>
      <ul>
        <li><a href="news.html">Forum</a></li>
        <li><a href="[#cont_url_forum]">Wiki</a></li>
        <li><a href="community_mailinglists.html">Mailing&nbsp;List</a></li>
        <li><a href="community_irc.html">Chat</a></li>
        <li><a href="[#cont_url_peoplemap]">Peoplemap</a></li>
      </ul>
    </li>
    <li>
      <a href="dev.html">Development</a>
      <ul>
        <li><a href="dev_start.html">How&nbsp;to&nbsp;take&nbsp;part</a></li>
        <li><a href="[#cont_url_wiki]Testing_Introduction">Testing</a></li>
        <li><a href="[#cont_url_wiki]Building_ReactOS">Compile&nbsp;ReactOS</a></li>
        <li><a href="[#cont_url_wiki]Debugging">Debugging</a></li>
        <li><a href="[#cont_url_doxygen]">Doxygen</a></li>
        <li><a href="dev_faq.html">Developer&nbsp;FAQ</a></li>
        <li><a href="dev_svn.html">Sourcecode&nbsp;access</a></li>
      </ul>
    </li>
    <li id="contactus"><a href="contact.html">Contact Us</a></li>

    <li id="search">
      <form method="get" action="http://www.google.com/search">
        <fieldset>
        <label for="q" accesskey="s"></label>
        <input type="text" id="q" name="q" tabindex="0" size="13" maxlength="80" title="search" />
        <input type="hidden" name="sitesearch" value="http://www.reactos.org" />
        </fieldset>
      </form>
    </li>
  </ul>
  </div>
</div>
<table style="border:0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
  <tr valign="top">
  <td style="width:147px" id="leftNav"> 
  <div class="navTitle">Navigation</div>
    <ol>
      <li><a href="index.html">Home</a></li>
      <li><a href="about.html">Info</a></li>
      <li><a href="community.html">Community</a></li>
      <li><a href="dev.html">Development</a></li>
      <li><a href="../roscms/?page=user">myReactOS</a></li>
    </ol>
  <p></p>


<div class="navTitle">About ReactOS</div>
      <ol>
        <li><a href="about.html">Overview</a></li>
        <li><a href="about_whatisreactos.html">What is ReactOS?</a></li>
        <li><a href="about_whyreactos.html">Why ReactOS?</a></li>
        <li><a href="download.html">Download</a></li>
        <li><a href="about_roadmap.html">Roadmap</a></li>
        <li><a href="about_userfaq.html">FAQ</a></li>
        <li><a href="media.html">Media</a></li>
        <li><a href="about_history.html">History</a></li>
        <li><a href="about_press.html">Press</a></li>
        <li><a href="license.html">License</a></li>
        <li><a href="dev_whitepaper.html">White Paper</a></li>
        <li><a href="dev_legalreview.html">Legal Review</a></li>
        <li><a href="/wiki/index.php/People_of_ReactOS">ReactOS Team</a></li>
        <li><a href="about_homepage.html">ReactOS Website</a></li>
      </ol>
      <p></p>

      <div id="ajaxsearchbar2" class="navTitle" style="display: none">Search</div>
      <ol>
        <li> 
			<div id="ajaxsearchbar" align="center"  style="display: none">
				<div align="center">
				<form method="get" action="http://www.google.com/search" style="padding:0;margin:0">
					<label for="q" accesskey="s"></label><input name="q" type="text" id="q" class="searchInput" tabindex="0" onkeyup="loadItemList(this.value,'rosweb','roscms_en','ajaxloadbar','sresultbar')" size="13" maxlength="80" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal;" /><input name="domains" value="http://www.reactos.org" type="hidden" /><input name="sitesearch" value="http://www.reactos.org" type="hidden" />
					<input name="btnG" value="Go" type="submit" class="button" />
				</form>
				</div>
				<div id="sresultbar" style="display: none" align="left"></div>
				
			<img id="ajaxloadbar" src="../support/images/ajax_loading.gif" style="display: none"></div>
		</li>
      </ol>
	  <p></p>
 <div id="googlesearchbar" class="navTitle">Search</div>   
 <div id="googlesearchbar2" class="navBox"><form method="get" action="http://www.google.com/search" style="padding:0;margin:0">
  <div style="text-align:center;">
   <input name="q" value=""  size="12" maxlength="80" class="searchInput" type="text" tabindex="0"  /><input name="domains" value="http://www.reactos.org" type="hidden" /><input name="sitesearch" value="http://www.reactos.org" type="hidden" />
   <input name="btnG" value="Go" type="submit" class="button" />

  </div></form>
 </div>
<p></p>
<script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">
<!--
	document.getElementById('ajaxsearchbar').style.display = "block";
	document.getElementById('ajaxsearchbar2').style.display = "block";
	document.getElementById('googlesearchbar').style.display = "none";
	document.getElementById('googlesearchbar2').style.display = "none";
-->
</script>
<div class="navTitle">Language</div>  
	<div class="navBox"> 
		<span>English</span>
<ul>
<li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=bg">Bulgarian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=ca">Català</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=cz">Czech</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=da">Danish</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=de">Deutsch</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=el">Ελληνικά</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=en">English</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=es">Español</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=fr">Français</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=he">Hebrew</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=hu">Hungarian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=id">Indonesian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=it">Italiano</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=ja">日本語</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=ko">Korean</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=lt">Lithuanian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=nl">Dutch</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=no">Norsk</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=pl">Polski</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=pt">Português</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=ro">Romanian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=ru">Русский</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=sk">Slovak</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=sv">Swedish</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=tw">Chinese (traditional)</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=uk">Ukrainian</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=vi">Vietnamese</a></li><li><a href="../?page=about_history&amp;lang=zh">中文</a></li></ul>
	</div>
<p></p>
<!-- Google AdSense - start -->
<script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-8424466656027272";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text";
google_ad_channel ="4696317145";
google_color_border = "5984C3";
google_color_bg = "EEEEEE";
google_color_link = "000000";
google_color_text = "000000";
google_color_url = "006090";
google_ui_features = "rc:0";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
  src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script>
<!-- Google AdSense - end -->

      </td>

    <td id="content"><div class="contentSmall">	

<h1><a href="about.html">Info</a> > ReactOS's History</h1>
<h2>ReactOS History</h2>
<p>ReactOS project since 1996</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Before ReactOS</h3>
<p>Around 1996 some people formed a group called FreeWin95, with the goal of implementing an operating system that would be a clone of Windows 95. Unfortunately, as with many ambitious new Open Source projects, it was stuck in a rut of endless talk about the design of the system, with no results.</p>

<h3>ReactOS Beginnings</h3>
<p>At the end of 1997, the project had burnt out with nothing to show. Jason Filby became project coordinator and called on everyone still subscribed to the list to revive the project. It was decided that the target should be Windows NT and that there would be an emphasis on results -- on written code rather than endless talk. The project was renamed ReactOS, since the operating system's roots grew out of a dissatisfaction with Microsoft's monopoly over the operating system market. In February 1998, ReactOS began.</p>

<h3>Steep Climbing</h3>
The first few years of ReactOS were painfully slow, despite the large amounts of code that were being written. Only a few of the developers knew how to write kernel code. It was a time of only a few people writing the difficult kernel beginnings. Later, as the kernel became more complete and stable, basic drivers such as the IDE and keyboard drivers were written, and more people were able to get involved in development.

<h3>ReactOS today</h3>
<p>Today the amount of developers is steadly increasing, the kernel has come a long way and is quite stable and many APIs are complete enough for higher level work to be done. Substantial work has been done on many libraries. Networking code is already here, allowing networking for those willing to play with the registry. The implementation of the Graphics Device Interface (GDI) and VGA and VBE graphics driver, OpenGL support and some part of support DirectX allow for runing games as Quake I-III, Unreal Tournament, Diablo 2. USB support has already been implemented, with USB keyboard and mouse support.</p>

<h3>Near Future</h3>
<p>Checkout our project <a href="about_roadmap.html">roadmap page</a>. The ReactOS project roadmap highlights the roadmap on the road to version 1.0.</p>


</div>
</body>
</html><!-- Generated with RosCMS 4 (4.0.0 beta) - 2009-11-06 12:35:55 -->